The first cola was uniquely created by a pharmacist.

Originally, it was accidentally invented while trying to develop a headache remedy. The story goes that it was named "Coca-Cola" by combining the first letters of its main ingredients, the "coca plant" and "kola nut."

In any case, since the Coca-Cola manufacturing recipe is kept in a secret vault, there was no way for me to know that recipe.

*But I remember the taste.*

The dark caramel color, the refreshing fizz of carbonation that pops on your tongue, the sweet yet refreshing sensation.

Sight, touch, taste.

Having lived on cola in my previous life, I "remembered" all these sensations.

And those memories were my "recipe."

Because in this other world, there existed an ability called "magic" that could manifest memories into reality.

This other world was a crazy place where you could create cola without coca plants or kola nuts.

Of course, there were several more steps needed, but I'd think about those later.

After roughly planning the production, I focused on recreating the taste.

"Hmm, was this the flavor?"

I recalled the taste of cola, infused it into water, took a sip...

It was "memory rumination."

Even with clear memories, I couldn't claim the taste was perfect.

Though I've summarized it briefly, it took a full six months to properly recreate cola's taste.

During that process, I must have drunk thousands of cups of water.

But magic wasn't omnipotent—I couldn't just say "Presto! Here's cola" and be done with it.

Creating cola was just the beginning.

*Next comes alchemy.*

Since imagination is fleeting by nature, I needed a step to reproduce it in reality.

That step was "alchemy."

A pseudo-science somewhere between magic and science. The ultimate secret of Western occult. The fantasy world's equivalent of an engineer.

To make cola, I needed to grind through the process with these fantasy world engineers.

Of course, money would be ground away in the process too...

But our Tower Master said she would take care of that part.

"If we need an alchemist, we'll need money..."

She looked pitiful calculating with her fingers trying to save every penny, but I ignored it.

Once cola was developed, all of Lanya's worries would be solved.

"Have you thought about which alchemist to use?"

Finding a proper alchemist in this world was difficult.

Most cheap ones were quacks.

So it was common sense to check an alchemist's background thoroughly before hiring.

Lanya knew this and subtly suggested:

"If it's hard to find one, shall I help you?"

I smiled at her cute attempt to save money through connections.

I might have played along another time, but not this time.

"That's okay."

"R-really?"

"Yes, I already have someone in mind."

I recalled an alchemist I'd seen in the newspaper recently.

"Who is it?"

"Siel Portman."

"Siel?"

Lanya tilted her head, not recognizing the name.

That made sense.

Siel wasn't famous enough for Lanya to know.

However, she was an alchemist with the skills I needed.

*Who would have thought someone in this world could make artificial carbonated water?*

Siel Portman.

She was the alchemist who created the first artificial carbonated water in this world.

*

In this world, carbonated water was poor quality and inedible.

It was just a cheap ingredient occasionally used for making recovery potions.

Even then, it was only used for the lowest-grade potions and wasn't well-regarded.

And Siel Portman succeeded in creating artificial carbonated water.

The same artificial carbonation used to make carbonated drinks in the modern world.

Siel's artificial carbonated water was pure enough to be used in high-grade potions.

But it was a wasted effort.

—"Why use carbonated water when you can use mana stone powder?"

In a world where excellent alternatives like mana stone powder existed, Siel's artificial carbonated water was thoroughly ignored.

However, she didn't know that artificial carbonated water could be "edible."

In this world, carbonated water wasn't something people could drink.

Inventions often originate from such coincidences.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm alchemist Siel Portman."

When people think of alchemists, they usually imagine gloomy figures confined to dark workshops. In contrast, Siel was tall with a big-hearted big sister vibe.

Uniquely, one side of her hair had turned white, so I asked why.

"Oh, this? I drank something wrong during research and it turned white. It's not a big problem, so don't worry about it."

*So this is an alchemist.*

She seemed dangerous with her lack of risk awareness, but well, it should be fine.

As long as she could properly make cola, I welcomed it.

"Did you bring the carbonated water?"

"Here it is."

I got up and checked the carbonated water Siel brought.

Tsss!

The refreshing sound of carbonation bursting as I opened the cap.

"At least it sounds delicious."

"Pardon?"

"I mean it passes the test."

"...Oh, yes."

Real carbonation sounds delicious just from the sound.

*It looks good too.*

The carbonated water Siel brought was transparent like water.

It was fundamentally different from the muddy carbonated water of this world.

"How did you filter out the impurities?"

"I didn't filter anything. I artificially created it by injecting carbon dioxide into regular water."

*That's right.*

The carbonated water Siel made had the same principle as the artificial carbonation used in making carbonated drinks.

*Still, I should check it.*

I drank the carbonated water Siel brought right there.

"No, that...!"

Siel was flustered, but I didn't pay attention.

*Wow, this is the real deal.*

I thrilled at the sensation of real carbonated water that I was tasting for the first time in twenty years across both my lives.

It might be my imagination, but it felt different from the start compared to what I'd extracted with magic.

Found it, carbonation!

I felt like I had the whole world in my hands, and my lips kept twitching into a smile.

"A-are you okay?"

"Yes, very good."

"But how can you drink carbonated water..."

Siel was dumbfounded that I drank carbonated water and remained fine.

For good reason—in this world, carbonated water caused severe stomach pain.

It would make you visit the bathroom dozens of times a day.

How do I know?

I wish I didn't.

"So you want to make a beverage with my carbonated water?"

"Yes."

Siel seemed perplexed by my statement about making a drink with carbonated water.

"Um... but carbonation is a potion ingredient?"

"As long as it tastes good, that's all that matters."

Siel looked at me like I was a mad wizard conducting human experiments.

That would be the typical reaction in this world.

Without dragging it out, I handed Siel the cola I'd extracted with magic.

"You'll understand if you drink it."

"...Is this really safe to drink? It's black."

"It's nothing strange, so feel free to drink it."

Usually people would be suspicious of such words, but Siel promptly brought the cola to her lips.

"Ah!"

After being startled by the fizzy sensation, Siel's eyes widened as she held the cola in her mouth.

"T-this...!"

She looked at the cola in the glass cup with astonished eyes.

"Is this really a drink made from imagination?"

"Well, yes."

Of course cola couldn't be made from imagination, but there was no cola in this world.

It was a world where carbonated drinks didn't exist at all.

So I could only say that cola was a drink I imagined.

"My goodness... This will definitely sell! No, it's going to be a huge hit!"

Siel's reaction was explosive, seemingly intoxicated by the taste of cola she was experiencing for the first time.

"C-can I have one more glass?"

"Well, I don't mind you drinking it..."

I looked at the many empty cups on the desk.

"Aren't you drinking too much?"

"Oh."

Siel's face reddened as she finally noticed how many cups she'd drunk.

"S-sorry. It tastes so good that I kept drinking without realizing."

"No problem. I'm happy you're enjoying it."

I was satisfied watching the embarrassed Siel.

Her drinking mindlessly was clear proof that cola would appeal to people of this world too.

Anyway.

"Can you make it?"

"Hmm, it should be possible, but this is a type of drink I've never tasted before. How did such a drink..."

Siel kept looking longingly at the empty cup, unable to forget cola's taste.

"Due to lack of information, it would take at least a year to recreate the taste. If I had even a little of the actual ingredients, it would be faster, but..."

"Well, I don't have any."

Even if coca plants existed in this world, I wouldn't know where to find them.

Therefore, all I could provide was this cola extracted from imagination.

At least with carbonated water available, it would take a year—otherwise, the time would have doubled.

"...It will be difficult. But I'll try my best. I really want to make this too."

"I'm counting on you."

Since I wasn't an expert, I decided to leave the details to Siel.

The designer comes up with ideas, but the engineer makes them, right?

"The Magic Tower will provide generous compensation as you wish, so don't worry."

I just needed to provide robust working conditions.

"If you have any inconveniences while working, please let me know anytime."

"T-then could you install a magic cooler? It's hot because it's summer."

"Of course, I'll call a technician today."

I glimpsed Lanya wailing, but it didn't matter.

Once cola was properly completed, all problems would be solved.

After all, cola was the beverage that thrilled dopamine-addicted people of the 21st century.

For the salt-preserved people of this world, it would be like dropping a tactical nuke on bare ground.

Failure?

Not even a remote possibility.

*

The cola prototype emerged a year later.

"Yuri! Finally, finally completed it!"

What Siel brought was a square brown stock that looked like a sugar cube.

Stock—an object containing the essence of manufacturing techniques created by alchemists.

"Is that cola?"

"Yes, now if I put this in carbonated water..."

Tsss—

As the stock dissolved in carbonated water, white bubbles boiled up. And instantly, cola appeared.

"Oh. That's fascinating."

I tasted the alchemically completed cola right there.

The characteristic popping sensation of carbonation along with cola's refreshing feeling swirled in my mouth.

Siel, watching from the side, asked in a tense voice:

"How is it?"

Instead of answering, I gave a thumbs up.

"Siel, you've worked hard. It's perfect."

"Yahoo!"

Siel burst into cheers.

Fantasy world cola, ready for deployment.

I took the completed cola prototype and went to find Lanya.

And our Tower Master, Lanya, upon seeing the completed cola...

"W-what is this?"

She began denying reality, trembling all over at cola's dark color.

"...N-no way?"

*Is she too happy?*

I called Lanya back to reality as her soul seemed about to leave.

"That's right, cola."

"D-don't tell me you poured all that budget into this?"

"It cost quite a bit."

Hiring an alchemist was more expensive than I thought. High-quality talent was filthy expensive.

Siel alone cost more than a veteran knight.

She was worth the money, but still.

"M-my money..."

Lanya fainted.

"Our Magic Tower is ruined."

After waking up, Lanya crouched in a corner and began sobbing that the Magic Tower was ruined.

"Drink this and calm down."

"Sob, h-how can I calm down now!? My money, my precious money... gulp gulp."

Despite her distress, Lanya readily drank what I offered.

And then.

"W-what is this!?"

"Cola."

"This?!"

Lanya's eyes bulged as she looked at the dark liquid.

"Uh, ah, um..."

She was so surprised that she stammered, forgetting human speech.

I smiled with satisfaction at her reaction.

"I told you. Our Magic Tower will become rich."

*

The Trion Merchant Guild is a guild that controls all distribution rights in the Imperial capital.

With slight exaggeration, there's even a joke that you can't sell anything in the Imperial capital without going through the Trion Merchant Guild.

Count Trion, the owner of the Trion Merchant Guild and an Imperial noble, was now facing a gift sent by the White Magic Tower.

It was an unidentified drink that was secretly becoming popular in social circles, distributed by the White Magic Tower.

Count Trion had heard the rumors and was secretly looking forward to it when the White Magic Tower sent a gift.

But.

"Black... water?"

The drink called "cola" sent by the White Magic Tower was a black liquid so dark that the inside was barely visible.

*Isn't this devil's water?*

When people in this world think of black water, they imagine devil's water springing from the ground.

Due to cola's black color, Count Trion naturally thought of devil's water.

Is this devil's water becoming popular in social circles now?

"Count, you absolutely must not drink it!"

"Chef! What are you serving the Count!"

Horrified vassals tried to stop Count Trion from drinking the cola.

Count Trion shared their thoughts. But the chef who had pre-tasted the cola had confident eyes.

"Your opinion will certainly change once you taste it."

"Hmm, is that so?"

At the skilled chef's assertion, Count Trion drank the cola despite his misgivings. And then.

"Urgh."

"C-Count!"

"Magician! Bring a magician!"

While the vassals panicked at Count Trion's strange reaction and searched for a magician, Count Trion, clutching his throat, muttered:

"...Sign it."

"Pardon?"

When a nearby vassal looked puzzled, Count Trion jerked his head up and shouted:

"Sign the contract right nowwww!"

*

"Black water" appeared in the Imperial capital.

Spreading quietly among nobles, the black water quickly spread throughout the capital, creating a wave of major trends.

"Are you still drinking Lamancha tea?"

"Of course I drink Lamancha. What else would I drink?"

"Tsk tsk, how primitive."

"What did you say, you bastard!"

Eventually, those who hadn't tried the black water were treated as outdated losers.

"This is devil's excrement!"

Some devout priests warned that based on its unholy color and addictiveness, this "devil's excrement" would lead the Empire to ruin.

Despite these warnings, the popularity of black water showed no signs of cooling.

Rather, young priests gathered in secret places away from bishops' eyes to taste the black water.

"Lord, forgive us."

"T-this taste...!"

To hide their unholy act of drinking black water from God, they wore white hoods on their heads while savoring it. This spread like a trend, and nobles all adopted the custom of wearing white hoods and not looking at the sky while drinking black water.

"If this is devil's excrement, I will gladly worship the devil."

Some lunatics even emerged advocating devil worship, turning the Papal Office upside down.

Black water that dyed the Imperial capital black within just one month.

People called this black water:

'Cola.'